She Never Cried in Front of Me
by ncis-boss-z
Summary: Ziva is going back to Israel to fulfill a duty she has to her father. What happens when the team finds out that duty is an arranged marriage? Bad summary, better story!
1. She's Finally Cryin'

**She Never Cried In Front of Me**

**Summary: Ziva is sent back to Israel to fulfill her duties to her father. Even Gibbs is surprised when he finds out these duties include an arranged marriage. Tony realizes his feelings for her, but is it too late?**

**Pairings: Tiva, McAbby, Jibbs**

**Disclaimer: If I owned anything except the plot, would I be on here writing? I didn't think so.**

**A/N: Just a piece I put together after countless hours reading Tiva and McAbby fics. I'm starting this at 10:00 pm, so bear with me as we continue into the night. Probably a one-shot, may turn into more. Yes, I got the idea from 'She Never Cried In Front of Me' by Toby Keith. Now, to the story! Enjoy!**

**Friday night:**

"Ziva, I just want to make sure this is what you want," a fifty-something Israeli man sitting behind an expensive looking ornate wooden desk said. The young Israeli officer smiled at her father and nodded, even though she didn't know if she completely agreed with what she was doing.

_You have finally made a life here. You have made friends and have a great job. Why are you giving it up? _A tiny voice in the back of her head asked- the American side of her.

_You have an obligation to your father and to your country that is why, _another voice answered. Time in America had changed her. She was no longer the killing machine forced to do her father's bidding she was when she first arrived in America. She had been trained all her life to follow orders, showing emotion was a sign of weakness, no matter how young you were. Tali was a great example of that. She was killed by a suicide bomber while on a mission at the age of only sixteen. You grow up fast, she had once told Tony. Now, she was kinder, she only killed when one of her team was in danger, she laughed and smiled.

_Tony, _the voice in the back of her head sighed. _He is your partner, your best friend, and you are going to leave without saying goodbye? He will not take to that very kindly. You owe it to him to say goodbye._

_It is cruel, but if I do, he will try to stop me, and if he tries to stop me, I will probably not be able to go through with this, _her Israeli side answered.

_What about, Gibbs? Abby? Ducky? Even McGee and Palmer? _Her America side said. Yes, she had spent so much time away from her own country, she had an American side to her brain, and apparently, it saw fit to argue it's very logical case.

_They will move on,_ he Israeli side resolved.

"Ziva, have you been listening to me at all?" Uri David questioned his daughter, a worried look in his eyes.

"I am sorry, Aba, I was just thinking," Ziva replied apologetically. It took all she had to hold back the tears threatening to fall.

Director David smiled encouragingly, "Your flight leaves two o'clock p.m. Sunday."

Ziva frowned, "It is already Friday, but I suppose it will be enough time."

"I have a meeting, but I will see you Monday, Ziva," her father replied.

"Ken, Aba," Ziva replied in Hebrew.

Ziva sighed as the large MTAC screen went blank as the teleconference ended. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she jumped when a gentle hand was placed on her shoulder. She turned around to face the director.

"Will you tell them after I am gone Jenny?" she pleaded. The red-headed director hated to see her agent and friend like this. She was not her strong, invincible Ziva; she was now only a pawn who felt obligated to her oblivious father.

Jenny felt herself nodding, "First thing Monday morning I'll get everyone together. Are you sure you don't want to tell them yourself? They would rather hear it from you, I'm sure."

Ziva nodded and silently thanked her before exiting MTAC. She walked down the stairs slowly, glancing at the dark squad room to see who was left there. Only one light was one at the desk of a quiet Italian man. Tony was left finishing up a report for the case they had closed earlier that day. She walked quietly to her desk and sat down. This was going to be harder than she thought. Tony glanced up briefly and smiled, Ziva half-heartedly returned it. She watched the handsome Italian man as he finished his work and turned off his computer. As he walked out of the bullpen, he turned back to her.

"You okay? Boss let you and McGeek off hours ago," he asked.

"Fine," she replied. "I just wanted to make sure I had my report sent in, so Gibbs will not kill me."

"Ok. You wanna go get a drink or something when I'm done?"

She smiled, "No, I am just going to finish up here."

Tony shrugged and walked towards the elevator. Ziva gripped the sides of her desk like she was trying to keep from falling off the world. She knew if she let go, she would end up running after him.

"Goodbye, Tony," she whispered quietly as the elevator doors closed on him.

(Tony's POV) It was late Friday night, and boss had already sent Ziva and McGee home. I was all alone in the bullpen, maybe even all alone in the building except for the maintenance and cleaning crew. I was almost finished with my stupid daily report when I heard the door of MTAC open. I didn't glance up, but I could feel eyes watching from the stairs. A thin, fit figure slid into the darkness of the bullpen, only lit up by the single lamp on my desk. It sat down at its desk. As the computer screen turned on, it lit up the face of my beautiful Israeli partner. A warm feeling erupted inside my body. She looked sad.

"You okay? Boss let you and McGeek off hours ago," I asked, slightly concerned. Ziva never showed any type of emotion, except smile and laughing when we pulled pranks on McGeek.

"Fine," she replied. "I just wanted to make sure I had my report sent in, so Gibbs will not kill me."

"Ok. You wanna go get a drink or something when I'm done?" I didn't quite believe she was alright, but she could take care of herself.

She smiled, "No, I am just going to finish up here."

The warm feeling died_. Why did it die? Why was it there in the first place? She's your partner, she's your best friend. No, you don't get that feeling from your partner. Shut up! _Great, now he was arguing with himself. He didn't ask her again, but simply shrugged and walked towards the elevator. As the doors closed behind him, he thought he heard her whisper something, so quietly, he could have imagined it. It was like the wind. Now all he heard was the hum of the elevator descending.

**Saturday morning:**

(Ziva's apartment) Ziva woke at 0500 as usual to go for her morning run. As she changed into her sweats and an NCIS all-weather jacket, the events of the previous day came rushing back to her. She was going back to Tel Aviv tomorrow. She was leaving America and she didn't even know if she would be returning. Her father wanted her to come back to finish some things for him, to tie up some loose ends.

Instead of running her usual five mile route, Ziva took a detour through the park, which added three extra miles to her run. The park was deserted this early in the morning, so she could be alone with her thoughts. As she hit her fourth mile, the thunder crashed around her and rain started to pour. She was grateful she put on her NCIS all-weather jacket. As the rain came, so did the tears, masked by enormous raindrops that fell around her. About a quarter of a mile ahead of her was a pavilion. She sped up a little bit, so she could make it to shelter before she drowned. To her surprise, the pavilion was already occupied. As she got closer, she realized he was wearing a hoodie and sweats. _Just another unlucky jogger,_ she thought, _he will not do any harm._ With that, she entered the pavilion and sat down, wiping tears and rain off her face. They sat in silence for a few minutes, as Ziva sat hugging her knees to her chest. Her face buried in her arms to hide her tears even from this unfamiliar company. Imagine her surprise when the jogger spoke, with every level of concern and worry.

"Ziva?" he asked.

Her head shot up and her eyes, red and puffy from crying caught the concerned gaze of Timothy McGee. He had a look on his face that was a mixture of surprise and utter confusion. It was then that Ziva did the only thing she could think of doing at that moment, she ran. She ran and didn't look back until she reached he apartment. She barely even stopped to unlock the door, she just flew in and flung herself onto the couch and cried her eyes out.

**So??? Did you like it? I have decided it will be longer than one chapter. Obviously I couldn't leave you hanging right there! Who did you guess the person would be? If I was reading it, I would've guessed Tony, and originally it was, but I decided against it, too predictable. I wanted it to be someone she was close to, but not so close as he partner. Am I making any sense? Oh well, it's late and I'm super tired. But that's not an excuse, so I will not make excuses! I would love for you to review and tell me what you think, but by no means am I going to stop writing if I don't get many reviews. I just want to put this out there for those who want to read it, if you don't like it, you don't have to read, it's that simple! But anyway, I'm blabbering: Review my loves!**

**3 Boss Z**


	2. The Truth Comes Out

**Chapter Two: The Truth Comes Out**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything, obviously!**

**A/N: At the end of the whole thing, there will be a chapter solely for the purpose of translating the various languages used throughout the story. Please read and review! Enjoy! **

Timothy McGee on the other hand, went straight to work. Gibbs would want to hear about this, and would not be happy if McGee came in late to tell him. He entered the bullpen to see Tony, Gibbs, Abby, and Ducky all staring at him like he had sprouted a second head.

"Timothy, what have you done dear boy?" Ducky questioned the rain soaked young man.

"Ziva- park- crying- rain- ran…" Tim gasped for breath as he tried to tell the story. A hand collided with the back of his head.

"Get a hold of yourself, McGee! Then tell the story!" his boss reprimanded. McGee inhaled and exhaled deeply, then said,

"I went for a run this morning, just like I do every morning, except today it poured, so I took shelter in a pavilion in the park along my route. So I'm sitting there minding my own business when this rain soaked woman comes running up. She didn't ever look up, so I couldn't see her face, but she looked so familiar. She just sat there with her face in her arms crying and I wondered why, but I didn't want to be nosey or anything-" he was cut short by Abby shouting,

"On with it, Timmy!"

McGee sighed and continued, "So then it hits me, the woman is Ziva! So I call her name and she looks up and her eyes were all puffy and red, and she just ran!"

"Where'd she go, McSensitive?" Tony demanded. Everyone glanced at him, his tone was so…Un-Tony.

"Um, I don't know. Her apartment I guess," McGee said slowly. Tony gave him a glare worthy of Gibbs. "I didn't follow her! You do know she would've killed me and I thought you guys would like to know!" He defended himself. Abby patted him on the back before turning to Tony.

"Don't yell at Timmy, he didn't do anything wrong. He just wanted us to know so we could decide what to do."

Gibbs snapped into action, "McGee: cell records. Track her phone use, her computer use, any kind of use! DiNozzo: call her house, her cell, email her! I'll be back!" He ordered before storming up the stairs to the director's office.

He burst through the door of Cynthia's office, scaring the poor receptionist out of her wits. She didn't even try to stop him as her burst into the director's office. Jenny looked up from her paperwork, unfazed.

"Hello, Jethro," she said levelly. He glared at her, but she only smiled. "You know that glare doesn't work on me."

"Where is my agent?" he demanded. Jenny's smile fell.

"I don't like that tone Special Agent Gibbs," she said cooly.

"Just answer the question Director Shepherd," he said, angry in his bright blue eyes.

Jenny sighed. She really didn't want to do this right now.

"She's at her apartment packing."

"Packing for what exactly?"

"She's going back to Israel. She handed in her resignation last night. Her father needs her back there and she agreed to go."

"Why didn't she tell me?" Gibbs was growing angrier.

"Maybe because she thought you'd react like this. Maybe she thought you'd try to stop her."

"Damn right I would!" Gibbs shouted before storming back down to the bullpen.

McGee leapt up first when Gibbs entered.

"She's made three calls to Israel, all the same number. I tracked it to the known number for Mussad Headquarters in Tel Aviv. Her internet log shows real estate searches and Facebook chats with named Mikel David, no apparent relation, but I did find something odd about their chats," McGee said in one breath. "I had it translated the best I could, and they're taking about dates and dresses and invitations. Boss, it sounds like their planning a wedding."

Tony stopped what he was doing and stared. A wedding? There's no way it was Ziva's. She would have told him. Was he jealous? No, of course not! Just put off that she didn't share that small piece of information with the team.

"DiNozzo! Pick your jaw up off the floor and tell me what you got!" Gibbs barked.

Tony shook the thoughts from his head and focused on the information he had collected. "No answer at her house, or on her cell. I sent her an email, text message, and Facebook message, no reply."

Gibbs turned on his heel and swiftly walked towards the elevator. He stopped at the doors and turned back to the bullpen.

"You waiting for an invitation?" he snapped at the two men standing dumbfounded in the center of the room.

"We need our gear boss?" McGee asked.

"Ya think, McGee?" he answered as they grabbed their backpacks and ran to follow their fearless leader.

(Ziva's Apartment) Ziva sat on the floor in the middle of her living room and glanced around her apartment. A few boxes were stacked along the wall next to her entrance way. She didn't have much, all her clothes fit into two suitcases, and the rest of her belongings into less than twenty boxes. She didn't have a TV, so she didn't have any movies. Basically all the boxes contained were pictures, dishes, cutlery, and various knick-knacks she had collected her three years in America. As her gave settled on her laptop, her thoughts drifted to the conversation she had last night with Mikel. They were partners in Israel, and he was a good man. Their parents had arranged their marriage before either of them could talk. They were good friends, and he was a good match, but her heart sank every time she thought of what she was doing when she arrived home. They had to plan a wedding in a week, and last night, that was all they talked about for hours. She did not have to worry about finding a house because Mikel already bought one for the two of them to live in once they were married. He had given her a website to look at to see the house. It was small, but it was the perfect size for two people. She was pulled abruptly out of her thoughts by a sharp knock on her front door.

"Ziva! We know you're in there!" a male voice shouted through the door.

Tony? She thought bewildered. What is he doing here? She glanced at her phone: five missed calls, thirteen unread text messages. Great, they were trying to contact her.

"If you don't open this door on the count of three, we will be forced to break it down, David!" she heard Gibbs shout. She stood up and walked over to the door.

"One, two, three!" McGee counted. She opened the door just as one of the men threw himself at it to break it down. The result was him landing on top of her in her foyer.

"Hey, Sweetcheeks," Tony whispered in her ear. She pushed him off of her and stood up.

"What are you doing here? And why did you break down my door?" she demanded angrily. She watched her team carefully as they took in the site of the nearly empty apartment.

"Going somewhere, David?" Gibbs asked quietly. Ziva looked down at the floor, unable to look any of them in the eye.

"Tel Aviv. My flight leaves tomorrow afternoon," she replied just as quietly.

"When are you coming back?" McGee asked.

She glanced up at him quickly then looked down as she answered, "I do not know. I may not come back."

"What?" Tony asked sharply. Ziva was surprised by his tone. He sounded very angry. She did not want to see him like this; she did not want him to see her like this. She blinked back tears and sighed heavily. Her dark brown eyes locked with his green ones.

"I said I may not return. I am going to Tel Aviv to finish some work for my father," she said, never breaking their gaze. Gibbs and McGee looked on with interest.

"What about the part where you're getting married?" he asked dangerously soft. She saw fire in his soul. It was a low blow, but she deserved it. Wait, how did he know about that? He read her mind, "McProbie probed into your computer records."

"It was arranged many years ago. I do not have a choice. I have an obligation to my father, my country, and Mikel," she said softly. His expression changed to a mood she had very rarely seen in her partner, hurt?

"Oh, I forgot about dear Mikel. Wouldn't want to disappoint him, now would we? When exactly were you going to tell us about the whole 'you getting married' thing?" he spat.

Ziva looked down, "I am sorry, Tony."

Gibbs broke out of his reverie, "Don't apologize, it's a sign of weakness."

Ziva nodded silently, not taking her eyes off of the floor. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"I think we should leave her to her packing," Gibbs said quietly. "McGee, DiNozzo, take the rest of the day off. We'll miss you Ziva," he patted her encouragingly on the back before turning and leaving. McGee followed behind him after giving his former coworker a friendly hug. "You kick ass," he whispered so only she could hear. She smiled a little as she watched her friend and her boss walk down the hall away from her apartment. She turned to Tony. He ran a hand through his messy brown hair. He couldn't deal with this. He didn't want her to leave. When she first came, he didn't like her. He was mad she was replacing Kate. Over time, they became friends. They had each other's six. Now she was leaving him. She wasn't being taken away, she was leaving. He didn't want to let her go.

"Ziva-" he began.

"Please, Tony, do not say anything. I have to leave for my father. I did not want to tell you because I thought you would ask me to stay, and if you asked, I do not think I would have been able to say no. Now I see you only came to yell at me, so please leave," she said quietly.

Tony looked ashamed. "I'm sorry, Zi. I wish you would've told me," he whispered into the silent apartment. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her in a warm embrace. To his surprise, she did not pull away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his shirt. He held her close to him as she cried. "I just didn't want you to be here one day, and gone the next. You know I've got your six. I want you to be happy."

The two stood in the middle of the living room embracing, neither one keeping track of how long they stood there. It was warm in each other's arms. Neither wanted to pull away.

_This is very weird,_ Tony thought. _She's not pulling away or killing me, she's actually hugging me back. And I like it. Do I like her?_

_This is bad! Very, very bad!_ Ziva thought. _At this rate, I will never want to leave. Why did I want to leave in the first place? Why am I hugging him? Why do I like it? Do I like him? It that what this is?_

Tony pulled back and held his former partner at arm's length and just looked at her. She gazed up at him, eyes filled with curiosity. They stepped closer together. Their faces were mere centimeters apart. Tony leaned down, bringing his face even closer to hers. Ziva inhaled. She could faintly smell his cologne. She quickly stepped back before she completely lost herself. Tony looked hurt. He muttered a quick, "See you around," before retreating through her still open front door. Ziva watched him until he disappeared down the stairs. She closed the door and slid down it to the floor. She sat for hours in front of the door crying until she fell asleep where she sat.

(Tony's POV) Their faces were so close, when she pulled back. He muttered a quick, "See you around." As he fled down the hall, he could feel her watching him. He could imagine the hurt and sadness in her eyes. He turned down the stairs instead of continuing to the elevator. Her apartment was on the third floor of the building, so he had two more flights of stairs before the roof. As he burst through the door, a gust of cool air hit his face. He walked to the edge and gazed out across the city. From the roof, he could see the Capital building, the Library of Congress, and the Potomac. He sat down, he back against the short wall that separated him from the open air. He propped his elbows up on his knees and dropped his head into his hands.

_Why had he done that? Why did he have an urge to kiss her all of a sudden? __**Maybe because you love her. **__Love is a strong word. I loved Jeanne and look what happened with that. __**But Ziva's different, isn't she? She's your partner; she knows everything about you and is still your friend. **__But do I love her? I know there's a lot of sexual tension, but love? __**Yes, love. It's that little thing people feel when they like each other despite their flaws, that little thing that make you feel all warm inside and urges you to kiss her. **__Oh, God. How do I tell her that? She's leaving tomorrow to go home and get married. She seems to like the guy if she's gunna defend him. What if she doesn't feel the same and I make a fool of myself and she hates me? __**It's better to let her know and know what she feels instead of going your whole life wondering what could've been. Find out her flight schedule; catch her before she leaves you forever. **__Thank you, random voice inside my head. __**No problem Tony.**_

Tony picked himself up off the ground and made his way back down the five flights of stairs. Once he reached the parking lot, he fired up his Mustang and sped back to NCIS headquarters. He flew up the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator, which he suspected Gibbs had stopped. He ran into the bullpen and came to a halt in front of McGee's desk. Unfortunately, McGee was nowhere to be found. He ran up the stairs to the director's office. Cynthia let him in after making sure the director was no occupied. Tony was breathless as he stumbled into the large office. The director looked at him with concern.

"Tony, all you alright?" she asked.

"What time is Ziva's flight?" he replied to her question with a question. Ziva hated when he did that.

"Two o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Tony, what are you going to do? It's hard for her already, so please don't make it harder," she replied, choosing her words carefully.

"With all due respect Jenny, I have to tell her how I feel," he told her.

She looked up at him, "And how is that Tony?"

Tony took a deep breath, "I love her."

Jenny smiled, he reminded her strikingly of Jethro, "Then go get her."

Tony hugged her with a grin and sprinted down the stairs. He flew into his chair and turned on his computer. McGee came into the bullpen looking slightly ruffled.

"Where have you been, McHomeless?" Tony asked jovially. McGee raised an eyebrow and blushed slightly.

"Down in Abby's lab. Where have _you_ been?" he replied.

"I, McLover, have been sorting out my thoughts," he said smugly. Now that he deciphered his feelings, he felt really good.

"Which are?"

"None of your business, McNosey." Making up new nicknames for McGee was fun.

"Ok, Tony…" McGee shook his head. Tony was never this happy. Why was he so giddy all of a sudden? Shouldn't he be upset his partner is leaving? Well, Tony was always kind of confusing.

Several hours passed, and to McGee, Tony got weirder by the minute. When Gibbs showed up (finally), Tony asked to take Monday off. Timmy's had to pick his jaw up off the floor when Gibbs said he could. The insanity was too much for poor McGee. At seven o'clock, Gibbs let them off, since they hadn't been working on a case. As soon as the Boss-man said he could, McGee ran straight to the elevator and rode down to Abby's lab, thankful to get away from nice Gibbs and even nicer Tony.

He sped into Abby's lab and promptly tripped over a figure lying in the middle of the floor. The figure yelped and shot up; causing the stuffed hippo it was lying on to let out a loud fart.

"McGee! Where are you going so fast?" Abby gasped.

McGee smiled at her apologetically, "Sorry Abbs, I was trying to get away from upstairs as fast as I could. Why were you lying in the middle of the floor?"

Abby frowned in frustration, "What's going on upstairs? And I can lie anywhere I want, it _is_ my lab."

"Well first Tony doesn't come in until a couple hours after us, and then he goes up to the director's office, and he comes back happy. And then when Gibbs comes, Tony asks for Monday off, and Gibbs let him take it! And then Gibbs let us off early! It's like everyone's going insane up there!" McGee shouted frantically, trying to get Abby to understand the gravity of the situation.

Abby put her hand comfortingly on Tim's back and smiled at him. "Timmy, let our fearless leader be happy and let Tony be Un-Tony. I'm sure Ziva will sort them out."

Tim's face fell and he looked away from the Goth forensic expert. She put both hands on his shoulders and turned him to face her.

"Timmy, what's wrong with Ziva?" she asked quietly, fearing the answer.

He sighed and led her into her office in the back of the lab. He sat down on the bench and patted the spot next to him. She sat and faced him. He took a deep breath.

"Ziva is going back to Israel, maybe for good. She's following through with an arranged marriage to her old Mossad partner," he explained. Abby's eyes widened.

"She's not coming back?"

"No, Abbs, probably not."

"No Timmy! I can't lose Ziva! I lost Kate to Ari, but Kate didn't have a choice! Ziva has a choice and she's leaving me, leaving you and Gibbs, leaving Tony!" Abby wailed. She began to sob, and Timmy slid her closer to him. She turned her head so she cried on his shoulder, their arms around each other. When Abby finally stopped crying, McGee asked her if she wanted to go out for a drink. She agreed, and he helped her turn off all her computers and machines. The two walked out of NCIS headquarters hand in hand.


	3. Trying to Catch Her

**Chapter Three: Trying to Catch Her**

**Disclaimer: The usual: I own nothing except my new black NCIS hat and the iPod I'm listening to as I right.**

**A/N: I know this story is based on a song, and the song hasn't come up yet, but don't worry, it will within the next one or two chapters. Now onto the story! R&R! Enjoy!**

(The Airport) Ziva walked slowly down the long stretch from check-in, baggage check, and security to the gate her flight would leave from. She hitched her NCIS backpack up on her shoulder and glanced around her. At one gate, a beautiful young woman was met by a tall young man, who hugged and kissed her. She watched them walk away hand in hand, the man carrying her bags. Ziva smiled sadly to herself. That couple was the epitome of true love. She was getting married, but she didn't love Mikel. He was her old partner, so she trusted him with her life, and they we very close friends, but she didn't love him. Thinking of him didn't make leaving any easier. Every time she tried to picture him, an image of Tony laughing and smiling would appear. She could picture Mikel for a moment, but his olive skin would fade to tan, his black hair to brown, and his warm brown eyes to deep green. All she could think of since her team broke her door down yesterday was Tony. He had almost kissed her. Or had he? It all seemed like a dream. She tried to shake the image of his hurt face from her head, but it wouldn't go away. She had never seen him like that. Even when he told Jeanne he would pick his team over her and she left him she didn't even see him look that hurt and lost. Just the thought of it made her want to turn around and go running back to him. She wanted him to hold her and tell her he loved her and he would never let her go again. Wait, she wanted him to tell her he loved her? Did she love him? She wasn't sure before, but now she was almost positive she did. If she loved him, why didn't she turn around? She couldn't, she promised her father and Mikel. Originally, they planned to have the wedding on Friday, but Uri David insisted they moved it up to Tuesday. Why wait when everyone was ready? Ziva's dress would be waiting for her when she arrived, and everything was all ready to go, so why waste time?

Ziva reached her gate a found a lone seat in the corner, away from the crowd of people waiting to board the same flight. She checked her watch, three hours until boarding time. She sighed and pulled out a book- _Deep Six_ by Thom E. Gemcity. For the next three hours, Ziva sat in relative silence, alternating between reading McGee's book and watching the people around her. As the three hours came to a close, two things happened at once. First, a voice came over the loudspeaker announcing Flight 115 to Tel Aviv boarding. Ziva was first class, so she would be boarding first. The second thing was a loud commotion from a few gates down.

"Stop! Sir, you can't go down there!" she heard a deep male voice yell.

"Federal agent! I have to get to my partner!" she heard another voice yell.

"Tony?!" she asked herself. She glanced at the line in front of her. Only two more people, and she would be getting on the plane.

"Sir! Stop!" more voices joined in as the group came into view. Everyone stopped what they were doing to watch as a handsome man ran past gates holding a badge behind trying to get the people to stop chasing him so he could find the gate he was looking for. Behind him were three burly security guards.

"Flight 115 to Tel Aviv, Gate G now boarding," the voice on the loud speaker said again. Tony silently thanked God, he was tired of running.

"Ziva! Don't get on that plane, please! I have to tell you something really important! You can't marry that guy!" Tony shouted again as he arrived at Gate G. He spotted Ziva up at the front of line. Why wasn't she answering him.

Ziva turned to the lady checking tickets and passports and asked, "Could you please continue? I really have to get on that plane."

The woman nodded and cleared the two people in front of Ziva for boarding. She looked at Ziva's passport and looked at her, eyes full of curiosity.

"If I were you, I would go talk to that young man. You may not know it, but he seems like he really loves you," the woman told Ziva, eyes now gleaming with knowledge and longing to have someone run after her.

"Can I board?" Ziva replied. The woman nodded sadly. As she stepped into the tunnel leading to the plane, Ziva stopped and glance back at Tony. All eyes were on the couple. She bit her lip and glanced at him one more time before turning back to the tunnel and boarding the plane, everyone watching with bated breath.

As she disappeared from site, all eyes switched to Tony. Tony didn't notice any of them. All he could see was the dark brown eyes off the woman he loved fill with tears as she walked away. His knees betrayed him. As they gave way, he sank to the floor, muttering in Italian. A little old Italian couple at the back of the line watched him sadly. They were the only ones in earshot who could understand him. He was repeating over and over again, "I love her. I love her. I love her." The man gave his wife a meaningful glance before walking over to the young man.

Tony felt a hand on his shoulder. He glanced up into the work-worn face of an elderly man. The man whispered to him in his native tongue before giving him and encouraging smile and walking back to his wife. It took Tony several seconds to process what the man had just told him, "Another flight to Tel Aviv leaves in two hours from Gate B. If you buy a ticket now, you may be able to make it. Don't give up on her until you tell her how you feel." As soon as he brain comprehended what he heard, Tony shot up and raced back down to check-in. If he could tell her how he felt, she might not marry Mikel. She may not feel the same, but it was worth a shot.

(Flight 115 to Tel Aviv) Ziva leaned back in her seat. A movie was playing, but she couldn't watch it. It reminded her too much of Tony. Why didn't she wait five minutes to hear him out? Now she might never know what he wanted to tell her. Why couldn't she marry Mikel? She secretly thought about how romantic it would be if he followed her to Israel, but soon squashed that thought with reality. He just wanted her to stay so he didn't have to get a new partner. If she married Mikel, she would most likely never return to the United States, unless a mission brought her there. He would not take a twenty hour flight just to tell her something like that. Her heart sunk. She would never see him again. A quiet voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"I saw what happened at the gate earlier," a voice from next to her said. Ziva turned to see a teenage girl about fifteen or sixteen with curly blond hair falling loosely around her shoulders. On her head, she wore a black baseball cap with the letters CSI printed on the front in white. She wore all black except for the overly large hot pink earrings on her ears and the pink, black, and white studded belt around her waist. A black skull choker hung at her neck. She reminded Ziva of Abby. She suddenly felt a pang of guilt for not telling Abby she was leaving.

"Oh, yes," Ziva replied, not quite knowing what to say.

The girl smiled slightly at her, revealing two rows of perfectly white teeth, "You don't have to, but if you want to talk about it, I have nothing to do for the next fifteen hours. I know I'm not all grown up and whatever, but I'm a good listener, and I understand a lot more than people usually give me credit for. I'm Adele by the way, but everyone calls me Addy."

Ziva smiled in spite of herself, "I am Ziva. I would like to tell you about it. I would like to hear your opinion."

Addy nodded, and the two females turned their chairs to face each other. For the next three hours, Ziva told Addy everything about NCIS, from Tony, McGee, and Gibbs, to Abby, Ducky, Palmer, and Jenny. She told her about McGee and Abby's crazy romance and Abby's craziness in general. She told her about Gibbs' elevator office and Palmer's clandestine romance with a crazy double agent. Addy laughed at all of the little anecdotes Ziva remembered from the first time she met Tony to when they went undercover as French assassins to when McGee was trapped in a women's prison. She even told her why she was leaving and about Mikel. When Ziva was finally done she sighed. It felt good to tell someone everything, even if that someone was only half her age.

"Now tell me about you," Ziva told the young girl who reminded her more of Abby every minute. She had just asked the stewardess for a Caff-Pow! and was now sipping it contentedly.

Addy smiled and began, "Well first of all, I'm from New Orleans. I love it there, but I'm on a college tour to look at colleges up north. Now I'm going to Tel Aviv to visit a family friend who moved up there after college to work for some archeologists. My cousin is Abigail Scuito, but most people think we could be sisters." Addy continued telling Ziva about her crazy southern family and her insane boating grandparents. She told Ziva about her friends and her school and the boys she knew. She talked about classes and life in general. She was a musician and an actress, but she wanted to go into either forensic technology or criminal investigation. By the end of their conversation, both women were worn out. Ziva found she had a tremendous amount of respect for the young girl she had befriended. She was smart and funny, and knew what she wanted. She had friends and enemies and knew how to handle them both. Ziva checked her watch; they still had ten hours left of their flight.

Both were starting to doze off, so they turned their chairs to face the front of the plane and reclined them as far back as they would go. Within minutes, both were sound asleep.

(Flight 230 to Tel Aviv) Tony shifted in his seat. His flight had boarded two hours ago and he was already anxious to get off of it. He was flying first class, but the man next to him did not understand the concept of quiet. He had talked nonstop since Tony sat down. Tony glanced out the window at the ocean below them. He leaned back in his seat and closed him eyes, hoping the guy next to him would get the hint and shut up, he didn't. Tony pulled out his iPod and turned the music up loud enough to drown out the guy. He thought of Ziva and wondered if she was having better luck than him with the people around her. He hoped she found someone interesting to talk to. As his plane was taking off, he realized he was totally unprepared. He had no clothes, nowhere to stay, and he didn't know where Ziva would be. Hopefully she would stop to have dinner before leaving the airport in Tel Aviv. He hoped Mikel wouldn't be meeting her at the airport. He sighed and slowly drifted off to sleep, an image of the beautiful Israeli woman burned into his mind.

**A/N 2: I know! I Know! It's a short chapter! I'm sorry! There is no excuse, so I will not make one. I really didn't want to give away too much! The next chapter will be longer I promise! We will finally meet Mikel and Tony will arrive in Tel Aviv. Will Tony meet Mikel? Will Tony catch Ziva in time? Or will she marry Mikel? What about the wedding? Will it happen? Will I ever incorporate the song into this story?!?!? Only time will tell! Read and Review please!**

**3 Boss Z**


	4. She Never Cried in Front of Me

**Chapter Four: She Never Cried in Front of Me**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N: Yes! I finally found a way to put the song into this story! Sadly, there will only be one or two chapters after this, and maybe an epilogue and an author's note. R&R! Enjoy!**

(Tel Aviv Airport) Ziva stepped off the plane in Tel Aviv. She never got used to that ride. Her whole body hurt from sitting down the past twenty hours. Right behind her was Addy, black and white skull backpack in hand. She was chattering happily with a woman on a gold cell phone. Her southern accent deepening as she spoke. Then, without skipping a beat, she switched to flawless French. Ziva was impressed.

Addy laughed at the person on the other end of the phone and hung up before turning to Ziva, "That was my mum and my grandma. I'm meeting my friend here, but after I get settled, I'm free to do what I want as long as I let Chrissie, that's my friend, know first."

Ziva nodded. She wrote her phone number and address on a slip of paper and handed it to Addy, "Call me when you get settled and we will meet for lunch or something."

Addy grinned and hugged the older woman. "See ya, Ziva!" she called over her shoulder as she bounded away to meet a tall brunette woman about twenty-eight. The woman waved to Ziva and mouth "Thank you" before slinging her arm around Addy's shoulders as the pair walked away. Ziva watched them retreat with a smile on her face. Once they were out of sight, Ziva's face fell. It felt odd being back in Israel for the first time in three years. She walked to baggage claim to find her two suitcases.

Within twenty minutes, Ziva was walking out the door back to fresh air. As she stepped outside, she was flooded with a wave of childhood and early adulthood memories. She smiled slightly to herself and set off down the familiar street that led to Mossad Headquarters. Five minutes later, she found herself at the bottom of a marble staircase in a history building. She knew the building by heart. At the top of the stairs was a pair of large double doors intricately carved out of Brazilian cherry. Behind those doors was a large sitting room with a simple desk where her father's secretary, Tali (whom her sister had been named after), sat. Just beyond that desk were the doors leading to a very large room where her father did all of his business.

Ziva took a deep breath and began her journey up the stairs. She almost knocked on the doors, but let herself in instead. Upon seeing her, her Tali dropped everything and ran to embrace her. The woman had been like a mother to her growing up, and loved her like she loved her own children. She knocked on the doors to her father's office.

"Come in," he replied. She could tell he was still at his desk, and probably hadn't even looked up. She sighed and walked through the doors, leaving her suitcases in the waiting room. When she entered her father looked up and smiled.

"Hello father," she said in Hebrew. He got up and hugged his daughter.

"Hello, my dear. How was your trip?" he replied in Hebrew.

Ziva shrugged, "I was alright. I met a very nice girl. We are going to have lunch soon and she is coming to the wedding."

Her father nodded. "Mikel is waiting for you. He is anxious to see you again."

"Where is he?" Ziva inquired. She felt hands slide over her eyes, and her instincts kicked in. She brought her foot back, hard. The hand was removed and the perpetrator moaned and collapsed on the floor. Ziva whirled around.

"Mikel! I am sorry!" she exclaimed when she saw the man she was supposed to marry on the floor.

He grinned up at her weakly. "Still my little ninja aren't you?" he asked as she helped him to his feet. "I should have known not to do that."

Director David laughed heartily at the sight in front of him. The two former partners embraced and Mikel began telling Ziva everything she had missed in the past three years. He knew Mikel was happy Ziva was back, but he watched his daughter carefully. To one looking on, it would appear she was happy to be back home with her family and friends, but her father knew differently. It seemed like she was listening to Mikel, but he could tell she was all there. He tried to make it clear to her that she didn't have to come back, but he knew she thought he wasn't actually giving her choice. She just wanted to make her father happy. He sighed. Hopefully everything would run smoothly for the wedding.

(Tel Aviv Airport) Tony stretched his sore limbs. Twenty hours on a plane was not the most fun thing he had ever done, but then he remembered why and it was all worth it. He hurried through the airport and onto the busy street. Across the street was a little café. Tony crossed the street and sat down at a table alone. When the waiter came, Tony remembered one other consequence of his spontaneous flight- he didn't know Hebrew.

"English?" he asked hopefully. The waiter rolled his eyes but nodded. Tony breathed a sigh of relief. "Do you have pizza?" The waiter nodded. "Ok, I'll have a pizza with pepperoni, sausage, and extra cheese and whatever beer you've got." The waiter wrote down his order and walked away. As he sat, Tony watched the people go past. He saw a woman in jeans and a t-shirt hurry across the street. Her long black hair whipped behind her. She looked frustrated. She entered the café and glanced around for an empty table. Seeing that there were none, she walked over to Tony.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" she asked, out of breath. He shook his head. "I am Kieran," she told him, extending her hand across the table.

"Tony," he replied, taking it. She nodded, brown eyes flashing.

"You are American. What brings you here?" she asked.

Tony sighed, "Long story short? I'm here to stop my partner from marrying some guy."

Kieran smiled brightly, "That is funny. I live here, but I am trying to stop my boyfriend from marrying some girl."

Tony looked bewildered, "Your boyfriend is marrying another girl? That's rough."

Kieran shrugged, "Well he had an arranged marriage to some girl named Ziva, but no one ever thought they would go through with it. About a week ago he told me he was getting married and invited me to the wedding."

Tony's head snapped up, "What's his name?"

"Mikel, why?"

Tony grinned, "We, Kieran, are trying to stop the same wedding."

Kieran's face lit up, "That is odd! Where are you staying? We could go to the wedding together tomorrow!"

Tony was confused, "Tomorrow?"

"It was moved up."

"I don't have anywhere to stay. I don't have any clothes. I came on kind of a whim."

Kieran raised an eyebrow, "A twenty hour flight is quite a whim."

Tony shrugged. Kieran stood up and grabbed his hand, pulling him behind her. "You can stay with me then. My brother will have clothes that fit you," she told him. With that, the two left the café, pizza forgotten, scheming about how best to crash the wedding and steal back their respective people.

(Kieran's House) Kieran led Tony up a narrow street to a large house with a neatly trimmed lawn. She burst through the front door and shouted up the stairs, "Arik!"

A tall man in his mid-thirties walked down the stairs. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Tony.

"Who are you?" he asked suspiciously.

Kieran grinned at her brother. "This is Tony. He is from America. He is trying to stop Mikel and Ziva's wedding too. He needs clothes and a place to stay," she told him.

Arik smiled broadly and held out his hand, "Then welcome to our home. You may have the guest bedroom upstairs and I will bring you some clothes. You will need a tux for the wedding tomorrow."

Tony shook his hand and thanked him. A girl in a black outfit led Tony up the stairs to his room. He walked in and looked around. In the center of the large room was a four poster canopy bed, much like the one he had as a child. Through one door was a massive bathroom with a large marble tub and an even larger shower. Another door in the bedroom led to a balcony. Tony walked out and saw that the balcony overlooked a large garden with a fountain at the very center. It was even larger than the one he remembered from his childhood home. If all went according to plan, Tony would take Ziva here and show her this.

Later that night, Arik brought Tony t-shirts, sweatpants, jeans, and a black tux. He also brought a pair of expensive looking running shoes and a pair of shiny black dress shoes to go with the respective outfits.

Tony, Kieran, and Arik spent half the night scheming, and the other half talking about themselves. Arik had a wife and daughter who were visiting relatives in Bahrain. He knew how much Mikel meant to his sister and wanted to help her get her man back. He thought it was ironic that Kieran and Tony would find each other in a crowded café. Tony told them all about NCIS and the people there. He made sure they realized that Ziva's father was the Deputy Director of Mossad. They were aware of that and only grinned when he said there may be consequences for interrupting the wedding. Tony didn't care, but he wanted to make sure the siblings knew the risks. At around midnight, the trio said their goodbyes and went to bed to prepare for the day ahead of them.

(Tuesday- The David Residence) Tali helped Ziva into her wedding gown. It was white, strapless, and cinched at the waist with a trio of diamonds. It was fitted until the waist. Below that, it flowed and stopped at the floor. The white contrasted dramatically with Ziva's olive skin. Her hair flowed freely in curls down her back, only partially held back by a single white rose pinned securely in her dark tresses. She looked beautiful. Addy was there with her as her maid of honor and only bridesmaid. She wore a hot pink strapless dress that stopped right above her knees. He hair unhindered by any unnatural force. On her feet she wore strappy black heels. She smiled at Ziva in the mirror. The three women worked in silence most of the time. Only Addy could sense the internal battle Ziva's mind was waging. She patted her back comfortingly. Ziva smiled back nervously.

A knock at the door called the three women back to reality. It was time for the ceremony to begin. Tali led the way out. Addy grabbed Ziva's hand and squeezed it. She led Ziva out behind Tali. The trio stopped at the back of the building. Tali kissed Ziva on each cheek and continued up the aisle to her front row seat. Addy placed a bouquet of pink and white roses in Ziva's hands. Ziva grasped them for dear life. She was never frightened or nervous. Now was an exception. Uri David stepped forward and Ziva grasped his arm.

Music began to play and Addy began her journey up the aisle on the arm of one of Mikel's cousins. When they reached the front, everyone turned to face Ziva. The music changed. It was time.

(Tuesday- Kieran's House) Tony awoke to the smell of cooking. He walked downstairs to find Kieran and Arik already awake. Arik was busy making something on a stove, and Kieran was fixing coffee for the three.

"What time is it?" Tony yawned.

"Four o'clock, Mr. Jetlag," Kieran smirked. "You have three hours to save the love of your life from certain doom."

Tony sat straight up, "Only three hours!? I gotta get ready!"

Arik chuckled, "Have some coffee and pancakes first."

Tony inhaled his breakfast and rushed upstairs. He jumped in the shower and scrubbed himself. He even washed his hair. He dried off quickly and began putting on the tux. He slipped on the black pants and white shirt. He stood in front of his mirror and struggled with his bowtie. Ziva always had to help him tie it. He heard a knock on his door.

"Come in," he yelled. The door opened to reveal Kieran in a light purple silk dress. It was slightly low cut and stopped two or three inches above her knees. There was a silver bow around her waist that matched the silver pumps on her feet. Tony wolf-whistled. Kieran laughed.

"You need help?" she asked. Tony nodded helplessly. After about five minutes, Tony was ready and Kieran led him down the stairs. Arik was already waiting for them by the door. He was dressed in a tux identical to Tony's. He had a silk flower in his pocket that matched the color of his sister's dress. He handed Tony a hot pink one. Tony cringed.

"Come on, man, it's the color of the bridesmaid's dress and Ziva's roses," he coaxed. Tony took it at attached it to his jacket. The trio walked out the front door. In front of the house was a shiny black limousine. Tony grinned. They slid into the back, and sat back in their seats.

Half an hour later, the limo pulled in front of a large mansion.

"The David Residence," the driver said as he opened the door for them. Tony got out first and helped Kieran out, Arik followed. Tony held his arm out to Kieran, and she took it. His name was not on the guest list, so he would have to pose as Kieran's date or he wouldn't even make it into the door.

At the large front door, stood a burly man with a clipboard. Guests lined up to be admitted. Tony estimated there were about twenty-five couples in front of them. The wait was long, and Tony started rocking back in forth, heels to toes.

"You nervous, Tony?" Kieran teased.

Tony shook his head, "Nah, excited." He smiled as he remembered the same exchange between him and Ziva while they were uncover as French assassins.

It was finally their turn. Kieran stepped up to the man, dragging Tony along with her.

"I am Kieran Hummin, and this is my date," she told the man. The man nodded and marked her name off the list. She pulled Tony through the doors. They found a seat in near the middle on the left side of the aisle. Arik joined them several minutes later. At exactly seven o'clock, the music began to play. Tony watched a young girl with blonde curly hair who looked American walk down the aisle in a pink dress on the arm of a handsome Israeli boy. When the pair reached the front and turned around to face the back, the music changed, and all eyes went to the back. The bride glided up the aisle with her father. She was breathtaking. Even Kieran let out a gasp and whispered to Tony, "Wow, I hope I can pry him away from her. She's gorgeous." Tony nodded. The white dress hugged her curves and made her dark features stand out. He felt like punching that Mikel guy in the face. When they reached the front of the aisle, Ziva kissed her father on the cheek and he whispered something in her ear. She smiled bravely and nodded. She stepped away from her father towards Mikel. They joined hands and the ceremony began.

_Seven thirty five  
She's someone's else wife  
I can get on with my life  
And that thrills me  
She married him today  
Her daddy gave the bride away  
I heard a tear rolled down her face  
And that kills me  
Cause now I, can see why  
She's finally cryin'_

Tony watched the ceremony in silence as the couple said their vows. Tony glanced at his watch, seven thirty-five. It was almost time. He saw a single tear escape her eye and roll down her cheek. He had never met her father, and was surprised such a kind looking man could raise his children to be assassins and snipers. It killed him to see Ziva cry, but he hoped everything would be fine soon.

_How was I supposed to know  
She was slowly letting go  
If I was putting her through Hell  
Hell I couldn't tell  
She could've given me a sign  
And opened up my eyes  
How was I supposed to see  
She never cried in front of me  
_

Ziva only half listened to the ceremony. She was thinking about what her father had told her. He said she didn't have to do anything she didn't want to do. She thought about Tony. She was so jealous of Jeanne and any other girl who caught Tony's eye. She knew he wasn't a long term guy, so she had slowly begun to let him go. She tried to show him how she felt, but he didn't understand._  
_

_Yeah maybe I might've changed  
It's hard for me to say  
But the story's still the same  
And it's a sad one  
And I'll always believe  
If she ever did cry for me  
They were tears that you can't see  
You know the bad ones  
And now I, can see why  
She's finally cryin'_

Tony had changed. Ziva didn't know it yet, but he had. He wasn't into one night stands anymore; he wanted something long term, something like forever. But their story was sad. He suspected she didn't like the way he went out with women, and he knew she had spent many nights alone and sad with a bottle of wine. They were the bad kind of tears, the kind he didn't want her to ever have again.

_Without a doubt  
I know now  
How it oughta be  
Cause she's gone & it's wrong  
And it bothers me  
Tomorrow I'll still be  
Asking myself_

Tony knew now what had to happen- he had to tell Ziva he loved her. She was gone, and she shouldn't be. And if he didn't do this, he would always be wondering what would've become of it.

"Does anyone have any objections to the union of these two people?" the rabbi asked.

Tony felt Kieran stir beside him as she stood up. Her clear voice broke the silence of the church as she said confidently, "I do."

Gasps were heard throughout the church. The couple turned towards the source of the voice.

"Kieran?" Mikel asked incredulously.

Tony stood up beside her. "So do I," he said, his eyes locked on the bride. Ziva's eyes grew wide.

"Tony?" she asked, not believing what she was seeing.

"What is going on here?" the rabbi asked angrily. The crowd fell silent when Uri David stood.

"My daughter, Ziva, and Mikel had an arranged marriage. We were not going to go through with it unless necessary. I offered my daughter a choice, and she chose to come. I do not believe she wanted to, but felt obligated to. Mikel felt it was his duty to fulfill his end of the marriage as well. That young lady, I suspect is Kieran, Mikel's girlfriend before Ziva returned home. And that young man next to her must be Tony, Ziva's partner from America. If I assume correctly, Kieran is in love with Mikel and he is in love with her. Neither wanting to give the other up, but feel obligated to in the line of duty. As for Ziva and Tony, I do not know," Deputy Director David explained to the crowd.

Tony stepped forward, "I first met Ziva when she came three years ago with Ari. I thought she was taking the place of my old partner, so we didn't really get along at first. After awhile, we became friends, partners in crime if you will. We played pranks on our co-workers, we confused our boss, we went under cover, and we had each other's six. I fell in love while uncover with another woman, and when I had to choose between that woman and my team, I choose my team. At first I didn't realize why, but over time I came to realize it was because of that beautiful woman up there. She was my partner and my best friend and she helped me get back on my feet. I fell in love with her, but was too stubborn to realize it. By the time I did, it was too late, so I had to follow her here to try to stop the wedding. Along the way I met Kieran who was trying to stop the same wedding, and I know she loves Mikel just as much as I love Ziva."

When Tony finished, the whole room was silent. Ziva turned to Mikel. Their eyes connected and through what Tony attributed to 'crazy ninja telepathic powers' they hugged and Mikel slowly made his way towards where Tony and Kieran were. At first, Tony thought Mikel was going to deck him, but realized Mikel never broke eye contact with Kieran. When he reached them, Kieran pushed past Tony and Mikel enveloped her in a warm embrace. The crowd 'awed'. Tony looked at Ziva still standing in the aisle. She bit her lip and smiled shyly at him. He pushed past the newly reunited couple in the row and ran towards Ziva. He scooped her up in his arms and held her close. She ran her hands through his hair, like she used to do to annoy him.

He laughed and whispered in her ear, "Ziva David, I love you with all of my heart. It just took me a little while to figure it out."

She leaned her head up, "I love you too, Anthony DiNozzo."

Her warm breath tickled his ear. The joyful reuniting and revelation of love were interrupted by the rabbi.

"So is there going to be a wedding or not?" he asked impatiently. Ziva detached herself from Tony and walked over to Mikel and Kieran. She extended her hand to Kieran who tentatively took it. "Give us ten minutes," she told the rabbi before leading Kieran out the back door.

Ten minutes later, Kieran and Ziva returned, this time, Kieran in the wedding gown and Ziva in Kieran's purple dress. Ziva took Tony's hand and led him back to his seat. The crowd averted its attention back to the front as the ceremony began again. This time, there were no interruptions or objections. Kieran and Mikel were married and as they walked back down the aisle, Kieran turned to Tony and Ziva and mouthed "Thank you" before smiling and disappearing out of the building with her new husband. Ziva squeezed Tony's hand.

"You miss me sweet cheeks?" Tony asked playfully. Ziva lightly Gibbs slapped him.

"You are the one who followed me to another country, my little hairy butt," she replied in the same tone.

He laughed and kissed her softly.

"Gibbs is going to kill us for breaking rule twelve," she whispered against his lips.

He smiled. "Ya think, David?" he said in his best Gibbs voice. She laughed and he added, "but I don't care."

The couple went straight from the wedding to the airport. Ziva's father would send all of her belongings back to the United States. They bought plane tickets for a nonstop flight back to D.C. Tony groaned at the thought at another twenty hour flight, but smiled when he thought of Ziva.

They were having a late dinner at a café inside the airport when the girl Tony recognized as the bridesmaid from Ziva's almost wedding joined them. She was wearing the same outfit she wore when Ziva first met her.

Ziva turned to Tony, "Tony, this is Addy. She's Abby's cousin."

Addy grinned and shook Tony's hand. "I've heard a lot about you," she told him. He glanced at Ziva, who only shrugged. "I'm gunna make the trip back with y'all and visit Abby while I still have time in D.C. I haven't seen her in ages!"

All of a sudden Tony realized something very important. "I'll be right back," he told the girls as he hurried towards a nearby payphone. He dropped the change in and dialed Gibbs' number.

"Gibbs," his boss answered.

"Hey Boss," he replied.

"DiNozzo?"

"Yea, Boss, listen-" Tony was cut off by a very irate Gibbs.

"You better have a hell of a good reason to not be here. I'm down two agents!" Gibbs shouted. "Never be unreachable!"

"Flight 576 to Washington, D.C. now boarding," an automated voice called over the loud speaker.

"I know Boss. I have a good reason, but I can't talk about it now. I'll be back to work tomorrow, and believe me, I don't think you'll mind much that I missed today," Tony said quickly.

"You better be here tomorrow," was the last thing he heard Gibbs say before he hung up and rushed over to join Ziva and Addy. The three people boarded the flight first class and slept the whole twenty hours they were in the air. Ziva's hand never left Tony's, until they landed.

**A/N: Done! Well this chapter is at least! And it comes out to about ten pages! Yay! I promised you a longer chapter, did I not? And here it is- my gift to you. Please read and review. I'm thinking there will be either one long chapter or two short chapters left of this. Thanks to all of you who have hung with me the past few chapters. I am finishing this at 11:41 pm on a Wednesday night, so bear with me until the end of this note. I love you all, so I would love for you to tell me what you think of this story. You can even add it as one of your favorites! Isn't that super?! Well I'm going to get what I think is well deserved rest.**

**3 Boss Z**


	5. Coming Home One of the Team

**Chapter Five: Coming Home/ One of the Team**

**Disclaimer: As per usual, I own nothing except for my green tea and my iPod. Oh, and the pencil I'm supposed to be using to work on a geometry study guide.**

**A/N: Hello, my lovelies! We are getting precariously close to the end of this little story. This will be the last actual chapter, but I will have an epilogue and authors note the end. It's been fun, and I've already started on another story with the pairing McAbby, of course. As always, read and review! Enjoy!**

(Washington, D.C.) Ziva, Tony, and Addy stepped out of the airport into the brisk air of Washington, D.C. It had only been two days, but Tony and Ziva had both missed it. Tony led the two women to his car and helped Addy put her bags in the trunk. He didn't know how long she had planned on staying in Israel, but she had a lot of stuff for one little girl. Ziva had invited her back with them. Tony agreed, because he saw how close the two had grown in the two days they had known each other. The next step was fitting everyone in the car. Tony's mustang was only a two seater, so Addy perched herself on the armrest between Tony and Ziva. Once all three were situated in the car, Tony drove them straight to NCIS Headquarters at a speed worthy of Ziva.

They stopped at the front desk to get Addy a visitor's pass before taking the unusually long elevator ride up to their floor. As the elevator doors opened, Tony could see McGee at his desk eating lunch. He smiled when he saw their lovely forensic scientist sitting on the edge of the Probie's desk eating what he assumed was a veggie wrap. The trio walked calmly out of the elevator, and wasn't even noticed until Tony sat down at his desk.

"Ziva!" McGee shouted. Abby turned around so fast she fell off the desk. From her spot on the floor at McGee's feet, she smiled up at Ziva, then Tony. McGee pulled her up, and she brushed herself of before she threw her arms around the ex-Mossad assassin that had become one of her best friends. She pulled back and grabbed her left hand, inspecting it carefully. When she saw there was no ring, she hugged her friend again.

"I couldn't believe you left! And then McGee said you were getting married, and then Tony disappeared for two days! And then you came back! And you're not married! Why didn't you marry that guy? Are you and Tony together? Is that why you came back with him? Did you finally figure out that you're perfect for each other? Tell me everything!" Abby blabbered on and on.

Ziva grinned as her Goth friend spoke. She wondered how many Caff-Pows! she had that day. Probably three of four too many. She saw McGee shake his head, laughing at her.

Amid all the confusion, a tiny "ahem" was heard. Everyone whirled around to face the source of the noise. Addy leaned against Ziva's desk with one hand on her hip, the other twirling a curl around her finger, tapping her foot in time with a song in her head.

McGee was beyond confused, "You guys weren't gone long enough to have a love child, so that only leaves…kidnapping."

Abby grinned and ran over to the girl, pulling her in a tight hug, "Addy! How've you been? How are all y'all?"

The two girls chattered, both their southern accents becoming more pronounced as the spoke. McGee couldn't help but notice how startlingly similar they were.

"Abby's cousin," Ziva explained to a still baffled McGee. McGee nodded with comprehension before turning to Tony.

"Have you seen Gibbs yet?" the younger man asked the senior field agent.

Tony shook his head. "I was hoping to wait a little while longer," he replied.

His answer was met by a sharp smack to the back of his head. "Long enough for you, DiNozzo?" his boss questioned.

Tony rubbed the back of his head. "Yea boss, I was just coming to find you," he replied quickly.

Gibbs took in the site of his team. Ducky and Palmer had joined the reunion. Tony leaned against his desk, watching Ziva. McGee was doing the same with Abby. Everyone was being introduced to Addy.

"What ever happened to rule twelve, Jethro?" asked a quiet voice in his ear. He could tell by the tone that Jenny was smirking. She slid beside him. He put an arm around her waist and she put her head on his shoulder. He rested his chin on the top of her head

"Rule twelve was really more like a guideline anyway. Besides, I can't fire my whole team," he said.

Jenny laughed softly and watched with Jethro as their unlikely family reunited, with one additional member. Addy fit in immediately, and Jenny could see why Ziva seemed to be so fond of her. Soon Ziva turned to Gibbs and Jenny and stepped away from the crowd.

"I'm sorry, Gibbs," she told him, meeting his gaze.

"Don't apologize, it's a sign of weakness," he replied, smiling slightly. He pulled her into a hug. "And before you ask, you can have your job back," he whispered so only she could hear. Or so he thought. Jenny heard, and it made her smile.

The group of people had changed each other over the past three years. McGee was no longer socially awkward, Abby was no longer scared of commitment, Tony wasn't the same playboy he used to be, and Ziva was no longer an emotionless killing machine. Gibbs was, well Gibbs had found the family he needed to make him love again. Even Palmer was fitting in more with the team. Rule twelve was long forgotten, but in Jenny's opinion, it should have been forgotten long ago. Anyone with eyes could see the way the members of the team felt for each other, even if they themselves didn't. Jenny knew before Tony knew that he loved Ziva. Ziva was emotionally guarded, so she was harder do decipher, but there was no mistaking that look in her eyes. Abby and McGee were destined to be together, even if Abby began with a fear of commitment. Palmer's romance with Agent Lee ended rather badly, but she was a double agent. Now he found a new girl in accounting that he had his rendezvous with. And Ducky, she decided, would never marry. He had his mother, as well as a surrogate son and daughter in Jenny and Jethro, and grandchildren in all of the team members. He now had a great granddaughter now that Addy had joined the mix.

Gibbs saw the look on her face as she watched the team. "One big happy family," he muttered. She smiled and nodded. She sighed contentedly.

There were no cases, so everyone left early to go get a drink at the bar on the navy yard. Palmer even brought his new girlfriend. Addy couldn't drink, but everyone laughed when she ordered a Shirley Temple. They all laughed as she, McGee, Abby and Ziva tied the cherry stems with their tongues, but Tony couldn't. Tony and McGee each sat on the bar stools, and Ziva and Abby sat on their respective laps. Addy and Ducky were in an animated conversation about autopsies, and Palmer and his girlfriend had disappeared ten minutes ago. Jethro sat on a barstool, and Jenny leaded against him. He slid an arm around her waist from behind and rested his chin over her shoulder. She smiled.

Addy excused herself from Ducky and made her way down the hall by the bathrooms and payphones. Twenty minutes later, she immerged smiling like she won a million bucks.

"Well?" Abby questioned anxiously.

"She said I could stay!" Addy exclaimed. "She's coming up here next week to make sure I have everything I need and she's enrolling me in the closest high school to the navy yard!"

Abby bounced on McGee's lap. Ziva hugged her. Addy reminded her of her sister, Tali. She had the same energetic, friendly, determined disposition as her sister. Now, she was officially a permanent member of the NCIS family.

She would be living with Abby, and going to school near the navy base. After school, she would get lessons from the team on the various aspects of their work: Ziva in weapons, Abby in forensics, McGee in computers, Ducky and Palmer in autopsy, Tony in crime scene investigation, and Gibbs in bossing everyone around. She planned on attending University of District of Columbia (UDC) after high school and majoring in either forensic technology or criminal investigation.

When she had learned the basics from everyone, she would be allowed to assist the team. Her mother was a little miffed that she would rather live up north with her cousin than down south with her family, but she trusted Abby to keep a good eye on her. After all, Abby was her favorite niece, and the girls had always been close despite the age difference.

Even after a month, Jenny still couldn't get over how well Addy fit in with the adults. She had a vocabulary that rivaled even McGee, and he used her as a thesaurus while writing his next novel. She was a quick learner, and was able to help Ducky when Jimmy was not able to. She could shoot straight, and even Tony was jealous. Gibbs taught her the best interrogation methods, and she could even imitate his glare, much to the chagrin of the other members of the team. _Yes_, Jenny sighed, _she fit in around here and completed the family. She was the daughter Gibbs had lost, and the little sister to the rest of the team. _Jenny hadn't been around her too much, but in the little time they had spent together, she had really liked her. Now the two women sat in MTAC and Jenny watch as Addy and Deputy Director David talked and laughed over a teleconference. He had wanted a report on how Ziva was doing, and he wanted to meet the young lady she had befriended so easily. Addy got along with everyone, and even the powerful Israeli man didn't intimidate her. The two said goodbye, and the large screen went black. Addy turned to Jenny.

"We haven't spent very much time together," she said thoughtfully. "We should have lunch."

Jenny smiled and replied, "We should. Come up to my office at one o'clock and we will go get something."

The young woman nodded and gave Jenny a quick hug before exiting MTAC. Hugging was another trait she had inherited from Abby. Jenny shook her head and laughed before exiting MTAC after the curly headed girl, who had rejoined the team in the squad room.

**A/N: The last chapter! Oh my! It was kind of short, but it had everything I wanted it to have, I think. Well there will be an epilogue up tomorrow hopefully. I usually write the whole story before I post, so I know I will always finish what I start, but I can't give you everything at once, so I will only post a chapter a day. Anyways, read and press that little blue-gray button that says review! Oh, and you can add it to your favorite stories!**

**3 Boss Z**


	6. Epilogue

**Epilogue: Two Years Later**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and my iPod.**

**A/N: This is the final installation of **_**She Never Cried in Front of Me**_**! Oh dear, I will miss you guys for the little while I'm not posting! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed (see next chapter 'Author's Note' for full list)! Y'all are amazing and I love you to death! Now, on with the end! R&R! Enjoy!**

(NCIS Headquarters) Addy bounded up the stairs, not even bothering to wait for Gibbs to get out of the elevator. She couldn't wait to see Kelly. Sure enough, as she entered the bullpen, she saw the toddler playing on the floor next to her mother's desk, her mother patting her head with one hand and she ate a slice of pizza with the other. Ziva looked up when she saw Addy. The young woman hugged the Israeli as best she could over her pregnant stomach. She was eight and a half months pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl. Tony stepped off the elevator with Gibbs several minutes later and the two men watched Addy play with the eleven month old Kelly as Ziva finished off a whole pizza. Tony wondered how he was going to afford to feed his wife for the next few weeks. He walked over to the two women and kissed his wife on the top of her head she smiled sheepishly up at him. Kelly Abigail DiNozzo giggled as her father tickled her.

Tony thought about everything that had happened in the past two years. Three months after returning from Israel, he and Ziva got married. A month after that, Ziva was pregnant with Kelly Abigail, named after Gibbs' daughter and Abby, her godmother.

McGee and Abby got married when Ziva got pregnant with the twins, and now Abby McGee was expecting a little boy. He was due a month after the twins, but McGee and Abby hadn't decided on a name yet. Addy had moved with McGee and Abby when they bought their new house.

The elevator dinged again and Abby waddled out of the elevator, McGee right behind her. Addy hugged her cousin. Jenny joined the group a little while later, along with Ducky. Palmer was nowhere to be found. The group sat around chattering about a recently closed case, while Ziva complained about desk duty. At around four o'clock, Ziva gasped. Everyone looked at her. She grinned at Tony.

"My water broke."

Everyone snapped into action, they had everything planned out. McGee ran and got the NCIS van and Tony helped her into the elevator. She squeezed his hand and they smiled at each other. Abby, McGee, Tony, Ziva, and Ducky went in the van. Jenny and Jethro took Addy and Kelly with them in Gibbs' car.

Once they reached the hospital, Tony got Ziva a wheelchair, and they rushed through the people in the waiting room flashing their badges indicating they were federal agents.

Addy just laughed and shouted, "She's havin' a baby, y'all! Move outta the way!"

They got her into the maternity ward just as she started having contractions. One nurse wheeled Ziva to her room while another nurse tried to stop them all from going through. "Family only," she told them.

"We are her family," Gibbs replied gruffly.

The nurse frowned, "Who's the father?"

Tony stepped forward. "I am."

Gibbs stepped up next to Tony and placed a hand on his shoulder. "And I'm her father. (Pointing to Ducky) He's her grandfather. (Pointing to Abby and McGee) That's her brother and his wife. (Pointing to Jenny) That's her mother). (Pointing to Addy and Kelly) And that young woman is her cousin, holding her first daughter."

The group nodded frantically. The nurse frowned again; there was no way all these people were related. Ziva's doctor from her first birth recognized the group haggling with the nurse, and convinced the nurse that they were all family and she had to let them through. The team hurried down the hall.

Once she was situated in her bed, doctors came to check on her every couple of minutes. Finally, after hours, one doctor smiled and said, "She's ready."

Everyone except for Tony and Jenny left the room. The rest of the team sat in the waiting room. Two painfully slow hours later, Tony emerged from the labor and delivery ward, grinning his thousand watt smile. Abby squealed and hugged him as best she could. Addy's turn was next. She hugged the man who had been like a brother to her for the past two years. Ducky, Gibbs, and McGee all man hugged him. Kelly toddled up to her father and looked up at him with the big brown eyes she inherited from her mother.

Tony squatted to his daughter's height. "Do you wanna go see your new brother and sister?" he asked her. She nodded vehemently and he scooped her up in his arms.

He led to way to Ziva's room, where she and Jenny sat each holding a child. Abby and Addy ran up to the women, each hugging Ziva carefully and cooing over the babies. Tony put Kelly down and she ran over to her mother's bed. Addy picked her up and carefully set her next to Ziva. Ducky congratulated Ziva and inspected the babies. Jethro stood by Jenny's side as she held one of the twins. Ziva was introducing the little girl in her arms as Jennifer Adele DiNozzo. Tony hung back by the door, watching everyone. McGee stood next to him.

"You know, Tony, I never pictured you as the type that would settle down and have a family," he said quietly. Tony looked at the younger man.

"Me either, Probie, me either," he replied. "But you know, it's much better than I thought it would be. I have a beautiful wife, three beautiful children, and a great family. It's everything my childhood wasn't, and I'm glad my kids will be able to grow up with you guys."

McGee smiled at him and nodded in agreement, soon he would have a kid of his own. He watched his wife waddle around, going from the girl in Ziva's arms to the boy in Jenny's. He hoped his son would inherit his mother's bright green eyes that he loved so much. Tony's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"You ready to meet my kids, McGodfather?" Tony asked. McGee looked up at him, surprised.

"Godfather?" he questioned.

Tony sighed with mock frustration, "Don't tell me you don't want to be little Timothy James' godfather."

"Timothy?" McGee asked.

"Well I can't change my kids name now," Tony replied, smirking.

Timmy nodded and Tony picked up the boys gently from Jenny's arms and handed him to McGee. McGee looked at the boy carefully. He was beautiful. Abby stepped beside him and watched the baby grab one of his fingers with its little hand.

All the doctors and nurses in Labor and Delivery watched smiling as the large family took turns holding the newborns, the father sitting on the bed next to the mother with his arm around her, her head on his shoulder. It was a site worthy of one of Tony's movies to say the least.

One month later, the group stood in another room in Labor and Delivery and watched as Tim held his new son for the first time. Abby's hair was a mess and she looked flustered, but Tim thought she was beautiful. The boy was named Anthony Jethro after his godfather and his surrogate grandfather. Addy held Timothy James and Ziva held Jennifer Adele. Jenny and Jethro stood back with Kelly, watching as their once small family grew a little bit more.

END

**A/N: And so ends the exciting tale of love, drama, and new family. Haha. Anyways, I hoped you liked it! Please read and review!**

**3 Boss Z**


	7. Author's Note

A Note from the Authoress

Hey y'all! Boss Z here! Thank you all so much for reading _She Never Cried in Front of Me_! Special thanks to Miss Mila, BigRed502, Miss Woozy, BritishNinjaChick, and NCIScrazyx101x for reviewing! Also thanks in advance to anyone else who reviews after this is posted, you don't know how great it makes me feel to know that people like my work! In one of my chapters I believe I said I would give a translation for any foreign language I used (any language other than English, that is), but I think I only used one word: Ken- yes (Hebrew). If I missed one that you would like to know, please let me know! For all of you McAbby, Tiva, and Jibbs fans, look for my upcoming oneshot _Homewrecker_. Again, thanks for hanging in there with me through the long nights!

XOXO, Boss Z


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